1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus for holding and retaining beverage containers which are filled with beverages, in a manner which will assure that the beverage container will not tip over and spill the liquid contained therein. The field of the invention relates to coasters on which beverage containers are placed so as to avoid marring the surface underneath and further relates to a stabilizing and securing device which assures that the container will remain in a position which will prevent the liquid therein from being spilled. The field further relates to apparatus which are used to retain a beverage container in a moving vehicle such as an automobile.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In general, coasters are well known in the prior art and consist principally of a disc shaped object with a generally flat surface on which the beverage container is placed. While the conventional coaster provides a means by which the beverage container is separated from the underlying surface (such as a table) so that the surface will not be marred, the conventional coaster contains no means for preventing the beverage container from being tipped over when subjected to a sudden impact. This presents a particular problem in moving vehicles when a sudden stop or other force may often be imparted to a beverage container placed on a surface inside the vehicle.
Since the advent of the drive-through, 7-11's and other mini-markets, and quickened lifestyles, people have begun to enjoy beverages in their car. People frequently drink a cup of coffee while driving to work each morning and often purchase a cold drink at a convenience store when driving during a hot day. In the past, balancing the beverage container in the vehicle has proven to be a problem, especially when the liquid inside is hot, such as coffee. Some prior art methods include balancing the beverage container between one's legs, or on the adjacent seat with the bag containing the beverage container propped up against the rear of the seat.
One innovation which attempted to solve this problem is plastic holders that attach to some car doors or fit over the center consoles of a car. These holders contain a central hole through which the beverage container is placed and thereby supported. One problem with this prior art apparatus is that a given hole does not fit all sizes of containers. For example, most holes are designed to fit a conventional can and are not designed to accommodate the large paper or styrofoam cups which may container 16 or 32 fluid ounces of beverage. In addition, the accessories give a "cheap" appearance and most people prefer not adding these cheap accessories to their car. One improvement on some new vehicles is to add a molded plastic beverage holder in the door or center console. Once again, these container openings which are usually only of one size diameter and designed to accommodate a can, but not designed to accommodate various types of beverage containers, especially larger (16 or 32 fluid ounce) ounces. Another problem with all of these prior art types of holders is that it does not provide flexibility for locating the beverage container. The user is required to place the beverage container where the holder is located, which may not be at a convenient or preferred location for the user.
Therefore, there is a significant need for an apparatus which can hold a beverage container in a stable fashion, and in particular hold it in this manner in a moving vehicle.